Method and apparatus for towing a submersible barge

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for towing a submersible barge through bodies of water having ice formation thereon. The method consists of towing a submersible barge by means of a length of cable which is drawn from a point situated at an ice-free point on the skin of a towing barge or ice breaker. Further, the submersible barge includes provision for harmless striking of objects and/or rapid response ballast control in order to hold the barge at selected, trouble-free depths when the towing ice breaker is forced to progress at uneven rates of forward motion.

United States Patent Van Der Linde 1 June 27, 1972 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR 3,056,373 10/1962 Hawthorne et a1. ..114/74 T TOWING A SUBMERSIBLE BARGE 3,368,515 2/1968 Endo 114/74 x [72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Continental Oil Company, Ponca City,

Okla.

[22] Filed: May 20, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 38,952

[52] US. Cl ..ll4/235 B, 114/40 [51] Int. Cl ..B63b 21/00 [58] Field of Search ..1 14/235 R, 235 B, 40-42 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 857,766 6/1907 Stangebye ..114/41 3,018,748 1/1962 Denis et al ..114/235 B X Harold E. Van Der Linde, New York,

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attorney-Joseph C. Kotarski, Henry H. l-luth, Robert B.

Coleman, Jr., William J. Miller and David H. Hill ABSTRACT 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJM'! I972 3,672.322

sum 2 or 2 HA/eoLo 6. MIA/050 1/2/05 SUBMERSIBLE BARGE BACKGROUND or THE mvemrow 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates generally to underwater towage operation and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, it relates to an improved method of underwater barge towing through ice-covered regions.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art includes various teachings as to underwater towage of barges or trains of barges for use in transporting various forms of fungible commodity, liquids, etc. A particular form of barge which would be suitable for use in the present invention has been disclosed in various U.S. patents, and particular reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,369,515, patented Feb. 20, 1968 in the name of Michimasa Endo entitled Submersible Barge." In addition, the teachings of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,368,512; 3,368,515; 3,208,423, and various other U.S. patents owned by present assignee are of pertinence to the overall concept. While there have been various other prior teachings relating to the use of underwater barge transportation of fungible or liquid commodities, there are no teachings known to applicant which are directed toward the use of underwater barges towed under ice floes or other surface formations ofice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates a method and apparatus for towing a submersible barge under frozen artic regions by means of utilizing an ice breaking vessel as a tow ship. In a more limited aspect, the invention consists of specific towing rigging and shipboard structure which will enable connection of the towing ice breaker to the tow cable at a point sufficiently removed from ice breaking and general ice chunk flotation depths surrounding the towing vessel. The invention contemplates placing such tow connector point at a pre-determined position below or near to the keel line of the vessel. The submersible barge itself is equipped with certain break-away or spring-loaded buffer structure which will enable the submerged barge to come into contact with the underside of the surface ice structures or other submerged obstacles without danger of rupturing the skin of the cargo laden vessel.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for underwater barge towage which is suitable for utilization in traversing the polar ice cap regions.

It is also an object 'of the invention to provide barge structure which is virtually non-rupturable as utilized to transport fungible or liquid cargo through the water below an icecovered surface at varying rates of forward progress.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method of transporting crude oil underwater beneath an ice-covered surface area.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a pictorial elevation showing a submersible barge and towing vessel as utilized in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the submersible barge as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of an altemative form of submersible barge which may be utilized in accordance with the general teachings of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a barge constructed in the manner shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a towing vessel showing alternative forms of barge towing structure which may be utilized.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. 1, a suitable towing vessel 10, a surface vessel, provides towing-connection via a tow cable 12 which extends down to a submersible barge 14. The vessel 10 is buoyantly supported within a body of water 16 which would normally be completely covered in varying thicknesses of ice 18. As is characteristic of the polar ice cap regions of the world, the ice 18 will vary in thickness and textural quality depending upon the thickness and consistency of ice and any for mation of pressure ridges.

The vessel 10 will preferably be selected from a class of ice breaking vessel of the high powered type. Such vessels are powered by engines developing as much as 120,000 engine horsepower, and they are capable of traversing the deep ice regions of the polar ice caps. Under most ice floe conditions the ice breaking vessel will be able to maintain forward speed regardless of the ice resistance. However, there are some conditions which may require that the ice breaker make repeated forward and reverse runs into the ice block in order to cut a passage.

The ice breaking vessel 10 would normally be of deep draft construction and the point of towing connection is located about mid-ships and well below the water line. The cable 12 is led through a sealed hawseway 20 from an operating compartment 22. The compartment 22 may be situated adjacent to or near the inner bottom of vessel 10 to include the various winch and operating structure for controlling the cable 12 and, therefore, the submerged barge 14.

It is extremely important that the cable 12 be maintained well below the near surface areas where broken and jagged ice pieces could foul the cable or, at least, could appreciably alter the barge response to the cable 12. Thus, cable 12 is connected below the water line of vessel 10 and amidship as at hawseway 20. In addition, the propeller turbulence is utilized to best advantage as turbulence in the area 26 from propellers 24 causes still further depression of cable 12 at the point proximate the fan tail of vessel 10. Conventional screw guards 27 may be utilized to further lessen the danger of cable 12 fouling in propellers 24.

Cable 12 is then led down for connection to the forward end or bow connector 28 of submersible barge 14. The submersible barge 14 may be any of various types of submerged vessel; however, it is contemplated that there will be employed a particular type as is the subject of the various patent disclosures including, particularly, vessels as taught by the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,368,515, etc. Various forms of bow connector 28 may be employed, but one form of apparatus which is particularly desirable for such tow fixation is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,995, subject matter of the present inventor and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

The submersible barge 14 is capable of either automatic or manual ballast control, such manual form of control being exercised from a remote position aboard vessel 10. In the event that such ballast control is not rendered particularly rapid in reaction, the barge 14 may utilize a plurality of bumper ele ments, 30, 32 and 34. Thus, when vessel 10 finds it difficult to achieve forward progress through ice 18, due to unusual thicknesses, pressure ridges or whatever, the barge 14 may rise sufficiently within water 16 to move against the underside of ice 18. The bumpers 30, 32 and 34 can then render such contact harmless by protecting the skin of barge 14 from any severe impact with the underside of ice 18, or from the danger of rubbing against particularly sharp ice formations. The bumper elements 30, 32 and 34 may be any of the various structures which are capable of providing a shock absorbing effect as between two such large bodies. For example, a bumper and coil spring configuration similar to that used in bumpering railroad cars might be suitably employed. The bumper elements may consist of a hinged or movably held bumper pad as held in position by a relatively stifi compression spring assembly.

The barge 14 may be filled entirely with crude oil or other such fluent cargo, and it may include particular safeguarding measures such as double skin or inner bottom lining to minimize the possibility of rupturing of the inner storage tank structure. The particular barge contemplated is described in the aforementioned US. Pat. Nos. 3,368,512 and 3,368,5l5. The barge 14 consists of a hull 36 having a superstructural fair water 38 and a pair of oppositely disposed bow wings 40 which serve to control the depth of barge l4. Suitable fin structures 42 about the stem end of barge 14 provide still further stabilization both static and dynamic while the vessel is underway.

A barge l4 constructed in accordance with the patent teachings as set forth in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,368,515, has extensive piping and pumping equipment which is capable of rapid and complete ballast transfer. Therefore, such ballast control may be exercised either automatically or from the operators compartment 22 on surface vessel 10 so that the depth of barge 14 is kept relatively constant despite variations in forward progress of the tow vessel 10. It is quite usual in encountering heavy ice that the surface vessel l might make repeated reverse and forward runs at an ice sector to break down its resistance, ultimately to allow passage of the ship. During these repeated hammering maneuvers, it becomes extremely important that the barge 14 be maintained at sufficient depth to prohibit its contacting the underside of ice formation 18. Adequate ballast control can be provided to take care of this function, However, it is contemplated too that suitable bumper structure such as might be afforded by bumper elements 30, 32 and 34 can allay both the necessity for such ballast control and any possibility of damage to barge l4.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another form of bumpering structure which will provide sufficient safe guard to the skin of barge 14. Thus, a pair of bumper structures 46 and 48, located fore and aft respectively, comprise a break-away cowling structure which provides buffering contact with subsurface obstacles. The forward bumper assembly 46 consists ofa circumferal cowling 50 which is held in spaced relationship around the other skin of barge 44 by means of a plurality of longitudinal rib elements 52. Similarly, the after bumper assembly 48 includes a circumferal cowling 54 as supported by a plurality of longitudinal rib elements 56. It is well within contemplation that such a cowling as cowlings 50 and 54 may become bent or damaged by impact and use under the ice; however, such structure can be easily cut off and replaced or repaired during normal dry dock operations.

FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative form of shipboard connecting assembly which enables the towing cable 12 to be drawn from an optimally disposed position beneath the ice breaking vessel 10. Thus, a guide hawse 60 is affixed down through the vessel 10, preferably along the center line to enable best response of the screw and rudder gear. The hawse guide 60 includes an upper bend portion 60 which leads into a deck housing 64 that serves as a winch and cable housing. Deck housing 64 may also include various of remote signaling and control equipment associated with the apparatus. The lower end of hawse guide 60 is bent to a desired angle, the trailing guide portion 66 to provide proper direction to the towed cable 12. A suitable seal and packing arrangement is included within guide portion 66; however, this is not critical since water may be allowed to fill the hawse guide 60 up to water line level without undue difficulty.

An alternative form of cable control assembly is also shown in FIG. 5. Thus, referring to the structure in dashlines, a winch and housing assembly 64a is disposed completely to the stern on the fan tail of towing vessel 10. The cable hawse way is then constructed in the form of a stiff leg 70 which is suitable supported over the fan tail of the vessel to extend downward below the water line by a sufficient amount, whereupon a trailing end portion 72 serves to direct the trailing cable 12 in desirable manner. The stiff leg would be structurally supported from the hull of vessel 10 in manner sufficient to support the weight of the towed barge, such strengthening practice being well known. The actual disposition of the hawseway and operating or cable storage compartments will probably be dictated by the type of drive and rudder arrangement which the particular vessel 10 employs. It is desirable that the point of tow be about a vertical axis through vessel 10 which can exert full towing force and control to the cable 12 while still allowing maximum maneuverability of the vessel 10.

The foregoing discloses a novel method for towing fluent cargo underwater, particularly, for towing through regions having substantial ice covering on the water surface. The method of the invention circumvents certain problems and inconveniences which would be encountered in usual towing operations by disposing the towing connection and winch control at a position which enables trailing of the towing cable well below the under surface of the ice cover and free from interference with the ships propulsion and steering elements.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of steps or elements as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings; it being understood that changes may be made in the embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims,

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for transporting fluid cargo through a water body having an ice covered surface, comprising:

submersible barge means including at least one compartment for containing said fluid commodity;

an ice breaking vessel having a hull and including propulsion elements which is capable of progressing forwardly through ice covered surface of said water body;

a cable housing means mounted in said ice breaking vessel for anchoring and storing said cable; and

a hawse guide means on and extending below the bottom of said ice breaker hull, said tow cable means affixed to the forward end of said submersible barge means and to the cable housing means through said hawse guide.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said hawse guide is through the bottom of the hull of said ice breaker vessel and forward of the propulsion elements.

3. Apparatus as set fonh in claim 1 which is further characterized to include:

bumper means extending substantially outward from the skin and disposed along the top side of said submersible barge to provide protection through rupture of the submersible barge upon contact beneath ice covering which is overlaying the water body.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said bumper means include:

plural contacting elements disposed along the upper surface of said submersible barge; and

means providing resilient shock absorbing action to said contacting elements.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said bumper means comprise:

a circumferal cowling of bendable material disposed around said submersible barge; and

a plurality of longitudinal rib elements affixed between said submersible barge and said cowling to support said cowling in said circumferal relationship around the barge.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 which is further characterized to include:

plural circumferal cowlings disposed along said submersible barge means at spaced intervals.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized to include:

control means responsive to changes in tension of said tow cable means to alter ballast of said barge means proportionately such that said barge means remains at a generally constant depth through uneven forward motion of said ice breaking vessel. 

1. Apparatus for transporting fluid cargo through a water body having an ice covered surface, comprising: submersible barge means including at least one compartment for containing said fluid commodity; an ice breaking vessel having a hull and including propulsion elements which is capable of progressing forwardly through ice covered surface of said water body; a cable housing means mounted in said ice breaking vessel for anchoring and storing said cable; and a hawse guide means on and extending below the bottom of said ice breaker hull, said tow cable means affixed to the forward end of said submersible barge means and to the cable housing means through said hawse guide.
 2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said hawse guide is through the bottom of the hull of said ice breaker vessel and forward of the propulsion elements.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized to include: bumper means extending substantially outward from the skin and disposed along the top side of said submersible barge to provide protection through rupture of the submersible barge upon contact beneath ice covering which is overlaying the water body.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said bumper means include: plural contacting elements disposed along the upper surface of said Submersible barge; and means providing resilient shock absorbing action to said contacting elements.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said bumper means comprise: a circumferal cowling of bendable material disposed around said submersible barge; and a plurality of longitudinal rib elements affixed between said submersible barge and said cowling to support said cowling in said circumferal relationship around the barge.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 which is further characterized to include: plural circumferal cowlings disposed along said submersible barge means at spaced intervals.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized to include: control means responsive to changes in tension of said tow cable means to alter ballast of said barge means proportionately such that said barge means remains at a generally constant depth through uneven forward motion of said ice breaking vessel. 